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Protecting Your CRM Technology
Protecting Your CRM Technology
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Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology plays a vital role in managing and nurturing customer relationships, but it also contains sensitive and valuable data that needs to be protected. Safeguarding your CRM system is crucial to maintaining the privacy and security of customer information and preserving the integrity of your business operations.
Here are some essential tips for protecting your CRM technology:
Implement User Access Controls:
Limit access to your CRM system by implementing strong user access controls. Grant permissions and privileges based on job roles and responsibilities to ensure only authorized personnel can access and manipulate customer data. Regularly review and update user access rights to prevent unauthorized access.
Use Strong Authentication:
Enforce strong authentication measures to prevent unauthorized access to your CRM system. Require complex passwords, multi-factor authentication, or biometric authentication for users to log in.
Encrypt Data:
Encrypting data stored in your CRM system adds a layer of protection. Utilize encryption techniques to ensure that customer data remains secure, even if unauthorized individuals access it.
Regularly Update and Patch:
Keep your CRM system and associated software updated with the latest security patches and updates. Regularly review and apply software updates the CRM provider releases to address any security vulnerabilities. Promptly patching your system helps protect against known security flaws and reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
Train Employees on Security Best Practices:
Educate your employees on security best practices to minimize the risk of human error leading to security breaches. Conduct regular training sessions to raise awareness about phishing attacks, social engineering, and other common security threats.
Implement Data Backup and Recovery:
Implement a robust data backup and recovery strategy to protect your CRM data from loss or corruption, and regularly back up your CRM system to a secure and separate location. Test the restoration process periodically to ensure that backups are reliable and usable in a data loss incident.
Monitor System Activity: Implement monitoring and auditing tools to track system activity and identify unauthorized or suspicious behavior. Review system logs, access logs, and user activity to detect anomalies or potential security breaches.
Secure Mobile Access:
If your CRM system allows mobile access, ensure mobile devices are secured. Enforce strong passwords, enable device encryption, and consider implementing mobile device management (MDM) solutions to manage and secure mobile devices to access CRM data.
Regularly Conduct Security Assessments:
Periodically assess the security of your CRM system through internal or external security audits. These assessments can identify vulnerabilities or gaps in your security measures that need to be addressed. Engage with security professionals or third-party experts to conduct comprehensive security assessments.
Protecting your CRM technology is critical for maintaining your customers’ trust and ensuring their data’s security. By implementing strong access controls, using strong authentication, encrypting data, keeping software updated, training employees, implementing data backup and recovery, monitoring system activity, securing mobile access, conducting security assessments, and staying informed, you can effectively mitigate the risks and safeguard your CRM system.
The post Protecting Your CRM Technology first appeared on Craig Warme | Technology.
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April 24, 2024 at 02:00PM
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A new episode of Roswell New Mexico titled “Missing My Baby” airs tonight (August 1) at 8PM ET/PT on The CW, and to promote this week’s episode, we were able to speak with actress Rekha Sharma who plays Dr. Shivani Sen in the current season. Sharma is no stranger to TV audiences, especially fans of genre television, having been seen on such series as Smallville, Supernatural, Star Trek: Discovery, Battlestar Galactica, V, and The 100; she was also recently seen on Showtime’s Yellowjackets and is in the upcoming series The Imperfects.
“Missing My Baby” aims to be a big one for her character of Shivani and you can read our interview below.
KSITETV’S CRAIG BYRNE: Would you say that tonight’s episode of Roswell New Mexico is where Shivani is finally out with it about why she is in Roswell working with Liz?
REKHA SHARMA: It does seem like she’s much more open, and certainly, it has the most exciting moments that we’ve had so far, in terms of making this discovery and acquiring this technology.
How much of Shivani’s story arc was laid out for you when you signed on?
REKHA SHARMA: I had a really rough sketch of the whole thing, and I was looking forward to seeing the specifics on how it unfolded as we went along. These scripts are so fun.
Is it rewarding as an actor to play a role that can see through other people’s BS?
REKHA SHARMA: She does! She really looks, and listens, and sees where people are coming from, I think.
You’ve been in so many acclaimed TV programs. What made this show and this character special for you?
REKHA SHARMA: There was something about it that just leapt off the page for me when I got the audition. This woman is so full of life. She felt like a female Tony Stark to me, with all the money and the intelligence and the desire to help forward humanity by working with incredibly intelligent people. And she’s just got a drive to her and a wit. That’s really fun. I hope that all comes across.
For those unfamiliar with Shivani, what has she done in the current season of Roswell New Mexico so far?
REKHA SHARMA: She has made an alliance with Liz that was not welcome at first, but she has through her sincerity and her ability to listen, and her warmth and kindness, been able to forge a real connection and some trust, even though she’s doing some strange things and riling people up a little bit.
How frustrating is it for her that with all of her money and connections, there are certain things that she cannot save?
REKHA SHARMA: Absolutely heartbreaking. I think it’s part of her wisdom and her intelligence, but it’s her blind spot all at once if that makes any sense. That’s life. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, there are things you can’t change, and certainly not with money. You might be able to change more with other things.
How far would she go to save her daughter?
REKHA SHARMA: I think she’s willing to go further than she even knows.
Would she possibly put the aliens in danger to save her?
REKHA SHARMA: I think she has a true enough heart that she would never choose anything like that on purpose. But in her heartache, grief is intense… the possibility of losing somebody you love is absolutely blinding, and I think she might miss some things.
What was it like to film in New Mexico?
REKHA SHARMA: I loved it. It was challenging with the elevation and the lack of humidity, so climate-wise, it was quite an adjustment coming from Vancouver. The people in the town of Santa Fe are so lovely. I did a lot of hiking; the nature there is gorgeous, and I’m definitely a nature-oriented person. The crews on this show, and the cast… everyone was just such a breath of fresh air. Really authentic, warm people. It was a really special time.
Will we see Shivani’s wife again before the series is over?
REKHA SHARMA: You’ll have to wait and see!
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INTK Announces Senior Management Changes; Substantial Share Retirement And Cancels Reverse Split
Naples, FL, December 12, 2023 - Industrial Nanotech Inc. (OTC: INTK) today announced that Stuart Burchill, the group's founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer has decided to step down from his roles effective December 12, 2023, for health reasons. Craig Fischer will take over effective immediately as CEO of the Company and its subsidiaries, Syneffex, TalkingPaint, and Anaconda Insulation. Mr. Fischer will be joined by Jaime (Jay) Cruz, the former President of the Company, as CTO. And Director of Operations. Mr Burchill will assist the Company in a technical capacity as a Consultant.
The Company also announced that 29.5 billion shares of the former CEO’s common stock is will be retired and returned to treasury.
In addition. The company announce that the previously announced 1/2000 reverse split will not be executed by the Company.
Craig Fischer brings 30 years of experience and success working with public companies as an investor, shareholder, advisor, and is the former CEO of a public company
Jaime Cruz is a Six Sigma Black Belt and a Certified Lean Continous Improvement Trainer, and is a recognized leader in taking companies to their revenue and profitably potential implementing organizational discipline and integrity implementing policies and procedures that instill a culture of efficiency and a focus on continuous improvement. Mr Cruz is also recognized worldwide as scientist and leader in iCoatings and Energy Efficiency Industry. , having developed, the product that won the Million Cool Roof Challenge with team Indonesia on 2022.
Mr. Cruz was also invited as a guest speaker at UPI University, at their Global Warming mitigation meeting: "Collaborative Action on Climate Change Education." This program is organized in collaboration with the Architecture Study Program, University of Education Indonesia sponsored by BeCool Indonesia through a grant from the Climateworks Foundation, USA.
Safe Harbor Statement
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise/update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Contact: [email protected]
SOURCE: Industrial Nanotech Inc.
#press release#prism mediawire#stock market#investing#otc markets#otc#prismdigitalmedia#prismmarketview#INTK
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Research aims to improve recycled concrete for construction, carbon sequestration - Technology Org
New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/research-aims-to-improve-recycled-concrete-for-construction-carbon-sequestration-technology-org/
Research aims to improve recycled concrete for construction, carbon sequestration - Technology Org
University of Nebraska researchers are studying the economic and practical feasibility of using recycled concrete as a building material and as a source of carbon sequestration.
Crews removed concrete and debris from the demolition site of Cather and Pound Halls in February 2018. Nebraska researchers are working to improve recycled concrete for reuse in construction. Image credit: Craig Chandler | University Communication and Marketing
The project is funded by an $805,000 grant from the Department of Energy, one of 33 grants totaling $131 million awarded this year as part of its goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Matching funding takes the total to more than $1 million.
More than 1.8 billion tons of concrete is used in construction every year in the United States alone, and its production is a prolific generator of carbon emissions; for every ton produced, a nearly equal amount of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to global warming, is released into the atmosphere.
“Also, we tear down lots of structures – infrastructure, buildings, so on,” said Seunghee Kim, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Nebraska and one of the research team’s leaders. “Whenever we tear down, there’s a lot of waste concrete,” much of which ends up in landfills.
Waste concrete also can be crushed and processed into a material known as recycled concrete aggregate and reused in construction, but it’s weaker than original concrete. Earlier research by Kim has found RCA can be strengthened through a process called carbonation: calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate, both found in concrete, can react with carbon dioxide to form a compound called calcium carbonate, which strengthens the RCA.
Because concrete absorbs carbon dioxide, the gas is captured within the calcium carbonate and permanently stored there.
The new DOE funding will enable Kim and others to expand from successful, but small-scale, lab experiments, in 10- and 30-gallon chambers, to much larger-scale production in a one-ton capacity reaction chamber. A private construction company based in Omaha, Hawkins Construction, is collaborating on the project.
The specialized reactor will accelerate the carbonation process and identify the ideal pressure and carbon dioxide levels needed to modify recycled concrete aggregate.
“On the one hand, this process can make the RCA stronger. But also we can sequester carbon dioxide,” Kim said. “It’s a win-win.”
The research will include analysis of RCA properties, such as residual mortar content, chemical composition, aggregate crushing value, freeze-thaw resistance, abrasion resistance, pH and concentration of heavy metals in leachate water.
Christopher Exstrom, chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, will lead undergraduate students in conducting chemical analyses on the samples “to make this carbonation reaction more efficient and more productive,” he said.
His role is to help determine the mechanisms by which recycled concrete aggregate reacts with carbon dioxide, as well as analyze concrete samples using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
Ultimately, Exstrom said, this research could lead to more recycled concrete being used in construction, reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.
Kim said the pathway of this research exemplifies UNL’s research-funding pipeline; it began a few years ago with internal grant funding, later was supported by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and has grown to be a DOE-supported project, part of a national move to reduce greenhouse gases.
Hawkins Construction is participating because private industry wants to know “if they can make this work economically. Does it make sense for them?” Kim said.
Eric Thompson, K.H. Nelson College Professor of economics and director of the Bureau of Business Research at Nebraska, is part of the research team, focused on those economic questions.
“A number of private sector companies are interested, when feasible, in addressing climate change,” Thompson said. “There’s reason to believe there’s a market out there for people who’d prefer to use concrete that is more carbon neutral. The question is how large are those markets? … What are the costs of using this technology? There’s a number of questions of interest to economists.”
The research has far-reaching implications for the concrete industry, said Jiong Hu, professor of civil and environmental engineering and another member of the research team.
“There’s tremendous pressure on the concrete industry, largely because of its carbon footprint,” Hu said. “This is something that would not just benefit the concrete industry, but society, too.”
Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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CREATIVE CULTURES & CONTEXTS 237230 ⋆ WEEK 8 ⋆ Ephemeral Performances
Our first guest speaker for today’s lesson was Massey Graduate and International Sales and Trade Marketing Lead of Able Odor - Eugie Boyd; who came to us with a healthy mixture of hindsight as to her academic experience at Massey, along with foresight as to the paths we could take our work towards in the future. Being at a bureaucratic position within a vegan-based perfume brand, Boyd found that one’s artistic flairs resurface sooner or later, no matter the job position. By extension of being artists, there will be a little bit of art in everything we do.
For our first-class exercise, each table was provided with a bottled scent, and tasked with creating a marketing framework and strategy for the product, along with a snazzy advertising exterior – all within 20 minutes. Our scent bounced between tones of pine and cheese, and from the inspirations of this scent alone, we got to planning out our advertising programme. As most of the group was occupied in the design side of things, I asked around as to our plans for a target audience, sale price, and slogan. The following is what I wrote for our presentation.
A relaxed space, rustic and green. Old quality meets new values. Take a step onto the balcony and breathe it all in. Delight in the unveiling - TREES n’ CHEESE (alternatively, Cedar and Cheddar)
In moderation, our perfume provides a scent akin to Walking through pine trees, with a joyful, homey feel. In greater whiffs, you get a gust of Smokey cheese.
Trees n Cheese exists as a Vegan ethical product – while progressive in form, the marketing caters to an older time-period; most of our target audience will be dead in 20 years. The marketing and brand selling strategy expresses a quality-over-quantity approach, thriving in the sustainability of it all: Selling Small and expensive at farmer’s markets, local festivals, and community carnivals. Sustainability is our prime directive.
The olfactory compositions of pine give it A little masculine feel, but the smokier notes of cheese lead it to an old-timey feel of domesticated wood-life – Akin to an older gentleman with a knitted sweater falling asleep on a rocking chair, on the balcony, in Colorado, on a warm Thursday morning.
Trees n’ Cheese – the scents of dusk for those at the dusk of their lives.
Following this olfactory exercise, our following guest speaker was CoCA Librarian Craig Cherrie. His lecture kicked off with a quote from Gillian Rose, in her 2001 text Visual Methodologies:
“Visual imagery is never innocent; it is always constructed through various practices, technologies and knowledges.” (Gillian)
Their ‘artifact’ of focus revolved around the idea of the ‘visual meme’ – the cultural gene in function as an activist practice, particularly in the context of indigenous communities; with the key question being: “How do they enliven connections to their intended audience? What do these memes reflect of current cultures and issues?”
As a class activity, we researched two sources on visual memes using Google’s basic search.
Searched “visual memes”
Yielded: Visual Memes and Viral Images: Analysis, Discourse, Politics (NTU)
Yielded: Memes as Visual Tools for Precise Message Conveying (Thov Reime)
We then looked for a third source, using a more detailed search:
Searched “visual memes activist OR activism” (Sources from 2015 onwards)
Yielded: Internet Memes as Protest Media in Populist Hungary (Gabriella Lukács)
Our search was then further specified with some more, related terminology.
Searched “visual memes activist OR activism indigenous OR maori”
Yielded: "Since Time Im-MEME-morial"!: Indigenous Meme Networks and Fan-Activism” (Jacqueline Land)
Developing on this, we added the search element “site:org” to filter out commercial sources.
Searched “visual memes activist OR activism indigenous OR maori site:org”
Yielded: Indigenous memes by Indigenous hands: How Internet memes become an important storytelling medium used by Indigenous peoples (Magdalen Wong)
Yielded: Indigenous Memes and the Invention of a People (Ryan Frazer)
Finalizing our Google search, we swapped out the “.org” part of the search query with a “.nz” to localize our sources.
Searched “visual memes activist OR activism indigenous OR maori site:nz”
Yielded: Māori Instagram: The Social Media Lifeworlds and Decolonising Practices of Rangatahi Māori (J Green)
Yielded: Tears of the collective: Healing historical trauma through community arts (TO Rakena)
We then followed this up by performing the same search using Massey’s online library database.
Search “visual meme* activis*” and filtered for books:
Yielded: Cultural netizenship : social media, popular culture, and performance in Nigeria (James Yékú)
➔ Related Chapter: Chapter Six - Virality and Instagram Comedy in a State of Pandemic. pp. 198-230 (33 pages)
Class exercises concluded with a brief takeaway on the current rollouts of AI-based search engines, and the implications that these new systems will place on the process of online academic research, the likes of which we did just before. Chat GPT, now incorporated into Bing, can be remarkably efficient and precise at points, but in the contexts of research, it has a way to go, and can be quite inaccurate – in this volatile stage, it’s simply a much safer option to go without. For now, at least.
There were also passing comments made regarding Google Scholar, but these served more as an overview of the tool, which I myself am already more than familiar with.
WORKS CITED
Rose, Gillian. Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. 2001. Five, SAGE Publications Ltd, 2023, https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/visual-methodologies/book277282.
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Record low Antarctic sea ice is another alarming sign the ocean’s role as climate regulator is changing
- By Craig Stevens , National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research , The Conversation -
A changing climate is upon us, with more frequent land and marine heatwaves, forest fires, atmospheric rivers and floods. For some, it is the backdrop to day-to-day life, but for a growing number of people it is a life-changing reality.
It is now more remarkable when a year is not the hottest since our species began to develop civilisations.
Whenever we experience extreme climate events, it can be hard to engage with the concept that they are minor blips in the planetary experiment we are conducting. But the main act is taking place elsewhere in the oceans, which soak up more than 90% of the excess heat energy.
We are winding up a clockwork spring without knowing exactly when, how fast and how it will unspool. Ocean heating is not so much a canary in a coal mine but a thrashing shark we’ve inadvertently (at least initially) hauled up into our fishing boat.
A bonfire of records
A drop in the area covered by sea ice, both in the Arctic and more recently also in Antarctica, is one of the latest record-breaking changes. These floating expanses of frozen seawater are central to how our world works. They regulate how much light our planet reflects, help ventilate the oceans, and host important ecosystems in the form of algal meadows on their underside.
But now, due to the warming of the ocean, we have the lowest sea ice area ever recorded.
Ocean scientists are not used to thinking of rapid change, but the trajectory of the global average temperature on the surface of the ocean has now entered uncharted territory – and fast.
This graph shows global ocean surface temperatures, with the 2023 track at the top. climatereanalyzer.org, CC BY-ND
We know about the scale of this thanks to satellite technology that can sense small changes in temperature at the ocean surface.
These surface data are just that: the temperature of the very skin of the ocean. To get a sense of warming in the deeper ocean, we use ship-based measurements and a fleet of underwater robots known as Argo.
What satellites measure can differ from temperatures just below the surface or in the deeper ocean. Author provided, CC BY-ND
The global ocean heat transport
The deep ocean is clearly changing. This is because polar sea ice acts as a connector between the atmosphere, the surface of the ocean and deeper waters. With less sea ice, there is less cold, salty, oxygenated water sinking to the deep ocean.
These freezing coastal waters of Antarctica are a crucial engine room for global currents that convey energy around the planet – and this ocean transport mechanism is now changing.
One of the unknowns of ocean warming is how the oceans will adjust and store all the heat. Heating the ocean surface makes the upper reaches more stable. This in turn changes how the upper ocean absorbs carbon dioxide.
The difficulty for researchers determining how best to respond is that the processes that move and mix this heat operate over very small scales. It is beyond even our most powerful climate simulators to model exactly how the heat is spread, making predictions less certain.
Even if our models could work at very big and very small scales at the same time, they would have few data for validation. This is because very little of the ocean’s mixing has been observed directly.
While we can predict some of this mixing, the ocean is full of surprises. Recently, the Drake Passage has been shown to be even more of a mixing hotspot than previously thought.
An ocean turbulence sensor being deployed in rough conditions. Author provided, CC BY-ND
A warming Pacific
Surface temperatures around Aotearoa NEW Zealand for May 1, 2023. The stippled areas mark marine heatwave conditions. Ben Noll/NIWA/NOAA
Despite the connected ocean, the individual basins have their own characteristics and contributions to climate. Aotearoa New Zealand sits in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, which covers about a third of the globe’s surface.
The Pacific is so large it has its own internal cycles, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). We have to disentangle these to understand long-term changes.
While El Niño conditions can bring marine heatwaves to some areas of the Pacific, the oceans around Aotearoa New Zealand, especially to the south, are already experiencing nearly constant marine heatwaves.
The scale of the oceanic contribution to storing heat means any small change to how this has operated over the past millennia may have very large impacts. It is impossible to overstate the urgency with which we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Technologies that can capture already emitted carbon dioxide have many proponents, but they must not come at the expense of efforts to turn off emission sources. Without removing the drivers of emissions, these stop-gap measures will only delay the inevitable. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put it in its latest report:
There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.
Craig Stevens, Professor in Ocean Physics, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
--
Read Also
Why is the Arctic warming faster than other parts of the world?
Earth’s global ice loss between 1994 and 2017 (infographic)
#ice#sea ice#oceanography#ocean#sea#water#ocean warming#global warming#ecology#environment#antarctica#antarctic#climate change
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Comics read this past week:
Marvel Comics:
Iron Man (1968) #19-22
In this batch of Iron Man solo comics I went from August 1969 to November 1969. All of these issues were written by Archie Goodwin and penciled by George Tuska. The first was inked by Johnny Craig and the rest were inked by Mike Esposito.
At the beginning of issue #19 we learn that in order to save Tony from the heart attack he experienced back in issue #18 he was given an experimental heart transplant which takes the place of the chest plate he'd previously always had to wear in order to power his heart. I have yet to fully warm up to this change because I had liked how Tony's reliance on his technology had been used before and now what keeps him alive is a passive thing with no direct relationship with the Iron Man armor. Before this there had been stories where there was the concern that he would use up too much energy during a battle and then wouldn't be able to stop to recharge his heart-powering chestplate right away or that the strain of battle on his heart was too much for even the armor and could cause a heart attack, and also stories where he couldn't leave his armor because he needed the full suit to power his heart, and I enjoyed the complicated relationship between Tony's technology and his health. Now there is the concern that using armor would put too much strain on his new experimental transplanted heart and cause his body to reject it, but there's no beneficial relationship from the armor to his heart anymore, so even though those previously stated concepts have already been played out a lot at this point, I do feel that this change is taking away kinds of conflicts without really adding anything new.
I liked that Pepper and Happy were shown to be waiting in the crowd outside the Avengers' mansion for news about Tony when he was inside and his condition after his heart attack was not publicly known.
Also in issue #19 was a briefly-budding-then-tragically-concluded relationship between Tony and Whitney Frost, the now-disfigured villain Madame Masque. Her once-briefly-budding-then-tragically-concluded prior relationship with SHIELD agent Sitwell was never explicitly referenced in this story despite that Tony was well aware of it which came across a little strangely but I was also fine with that because I have largely disliked Sitwell's role in this book. But I have found Whitney Frost interesting with her backstory of really not wanting to be a criminal but then eventually coming around to feeling that she has no choice and then wanting to get out of the criminal life but believing that there's no way out of it for her. She's suggested before that her disfigurement in a sort of karmic punishment for her crimes. In this story Tony is able to get past her defenses and convince her that he stills views her as a real woman, even a woman that still has beauty on the inside and so a woman that a man could be attracted to, but then story ends with her leaving him because she thinks that he would be better off without her.
As a result of his experimental heart transplant, across issues #21-21 Tony seriously considers giving up being Iron Man because he has a better chance of being able to live a regular life when before he had been refusing himself that, like in pushing Janice Cord- a woman he genuinely liked back- away from him, under the belief that it would be wrong for him to do so when he could die at any time. He also notices that he's performing worse as Iron Man in fear of the effect of the strain of being Iron Man on his new heart. He chooses a successor, Eddie March, a professional boxer who unbeknownst to Tony has a brain clot that could kill him if a takes another hit on the head. Eddie agrees to become the next Iron Man because he feels that it would be better to "live a few useful minutes as Iron Man" rather than live out the rest of his days as a retired boxer reminiscing on his career. Tony learns about Eddie's blood clot and is able to get him to a hospital and save his life after he's injured in his first outing as Iron Man, but Tony feels that he'd sent another man to die in his place and shame that someone else would be willing to take up the task despite the risk to their health and declares that he will be Iron Man always and forever.
While Eddie March doesn't die, Tony's on-again-and-off-again girlfriend Janice Cord does, which was very surprising to me. I can see how her character's largely been played out if they were unwilling to have her react to Tony's actions in a different way then she has before as we've seen Tony's responsibilities as Iron Man make him look bad and her being understanding and forgiving about it after we've seen Tony freaking out over it and we've seen Tony's inner turmoil as he's pushed her away only to get back with her and then pushed her away again before and her being understanding and forgiving about all that (which is what allows it to keep happening) and at some point it just doesn't work anymore. But her loyalty to Tony made her a likable character and I was not anticipating her being killed off.
DC Comics:
The Human Target (2021) #12
This series was entirely written by Tom King and drawn by Greg Smallwood and this issue came out in February 2023. I don't know that I have that much to say about this issue in particular. I really enjoyed following this series and I think that a lot of the story was largely concluded in the previous issue and then in this final issue Christopher Chance, who was the character I was compelled by, had an inherently limited role. We see Christopher's ending at the very beginning of the very first issue, and then the end of the series is focused on Ice who I wasn't so interested in. I went back to the beginning of the series after reading this issue and was surprised to see that the art style had changed a bit over time which I hadn't noticed as I was reading. I think a counterexample to my response to this series would be another Tom King maxiseries that I really enjoyed the story of, Strange Adventures (2020). There I was more focused on the overall story but found Alanna Strange and Mister Terrific more personally interesting as characters than Adam Strange, so the ending that focused more on them was more effective for me. But I overall found Tom King's characterization of Christopher Chance more personally compelling than I got invested in either of them, so even if this ending of the series wasn't as impactful, it might still be my favorite Tom King book. I read the first eight or so issues all together and then the rest of them as they came out, which I think worked out well for me, but I also think it might be nice to revisit this book after awhile and read it all together.
Fawcett Comics:
the Captain Marvel stories in Whiz Comics (1940) #51-52 and in Captain Marvel Adventures (1941) #32-33
With these stories I read through the Captain Marvel appearances from February 1944 to March 1944. There was one Captain Marvel story per issue of Whiz Comics and four per issue of Captain Marvel Adventures for a total of ten Captain Marvel stories read in this batch. These stories ranged from eight to fifteen pages.
I really enjoyed the story "Deep in the Heart of Dallas" (writer unknown; drawn by C.C. Beck) in Captain Marvel Adventures #32. It had Billy Batson and Captain Marvel working to save Dallas from a group of mole men with a scientist who had a grudge against Captain Marvel, but whose glasses also kept conveniently breaking, meaning that whenever he didn't have glasses Captain Marvel would be there talking to the scientist but pretending to not be himself, and whenever the scientist did have glasses Billy would have to be there and pretend that the scientist had been discussing the science behind defeating the mole men with a mere boy the whole time.
I also really enjoyed the story "Captain Marvel and the Military Misfit" (writer unknown; penciled by C.C. Beck and inked by Pete Constanza) in Captain Marvel Adventures #32 because of how it highlighted Billy's reputation as a famous boy reporter. The story opens with Billy rushing to his boss Sterling Morris' office right after his broadcast to listen with him to a rival station's broadcast, which ended up being a copycat of Billy's program. Mr. Morris was absolutely infuriated- slamming his fist on the desk and saying that "I'll… I'll sue them! Stealing your name and copying your program! It's piracy!!" and "Tell him if he doesn't stop I'll have him arrested!! You've built yourself up as the boy reporter, and I'll not stand for anyone stealing your reputation!!"- which I found the intensity of to be charming. Later in the story as Billy is investigating he's able to get a key piece of information because a woman trusts him because he's her favorite reporter.
The story "Captain Marvel and his Deathday" (writer unknown; drawn by C.C. Beck) in Whiz Comics #52 revealed that Captain Marvel's birthday was now going to be February 29th. Billy explains that "It comes only once every four years- like this year- and that'll keep him younger!" The story that revealed that Captain Marvel was sad about not having a birthday and announced the contest where fans could send letters offering their own birthday for him was "Captain Marvel's Birthday" (writer unknown; drawn by C.C. Beck) back in Whiz Comics #47.
The story "Captain Marvel's Great Stone Face" (writer and artist unknown) in Captain Marvel Adventures #33 had a fun premise where kids in the Captain Marvel Fan Club decided to get Captain Marvel's face carved into the side of a mountain and I liked how the opening scene of the story had them trying to subtly get reference drawings of his face made without him knowing because "we were afraid you'd be too modest to pose."
And the story "Captain Marvel Executed for Desertion" (writer and artist unknown) in Captain Marvel Adventures #33 had Miss Dalshaw, Billy's secretary, referenced to by name for the first time in a long while.
the Mary Marvel stories in Wow Comics (1940) #54 and in Mary Marvel (1945) #12
With these stories I read through the Mary Marvel solo stories from May 1947. There was one Mary Marvel story per issue of Wow Comics and three per issue of Mary Marvel for a total of four Mary Marvel stories read in this batch. These stories ranged from seven to eight pages.
The story "Georgia Sivana's Green-Ray Gun" (written by Otto Binder; drawn by Jack Binder) in Mary Marvel #12 was the first Georgia Sivana story in a little while.
And I want to note that the story "Death Challenge" (written by Otto Binder; drawn by Jack Binder) in Wow Comics #54 begins with Mary and her adopted mother Mrs. Bromfield on a cruise together and the story "The Ship Without a Port" (written by Otto Binder; drawn by Jack Binder) begins with Mary and Mrs. Bromfield doing charity work by giving out food to poor people.
the Captain Marvel Junior stories in Master Comics (1940) #36 and in Captain Marvel Jr. (1942) #4-5
With these stories I read through the Captain Marvel Junior solo stories from February 1943 to March 1943. There was one Captain Marvel Junior story per issue of Master Comics and four per issue of Captain Marvel Jr. for a total of nine Captain Marvel Junior stories read in this batch. These stories ranged from ten to seventeen pages.
The story "Captain Marvel Jr. Struggles With Sabbac" (written by Otto Binder, drawn by Al Carreno) in Captain Marvel Jr. #4 was the first appearance of the villain Sabbac. The story had the empowering deities that make up the name Sabbac abandon him one by one in fear of Captain Marvel Junior until he has just regular Timothy Karnes again.
I want to note that the stories "The Invisible Count Spector" (writer unknown; art tentatively credited to Al Carreno) and "Captain Nippon" (written by Otto Binder; drawn by Al Carreno) in Captain Marvel Jr. #4 presented an idea that I liked that Captain Marvel Junior's missions help Freddy Freeman because good news is what sells newspapers.
And the story "The Pills of "Peril" (written by Otto Binder; art tentatively credited to Al Carreno) in Captain Marvel Jr. #4 was the first meeting of Captain Marvel Junior and the Captain Marvel villain Dr. Sivana. The two of them then fought again in the story "The Fountain of Youth" (written by Otto Binder; art tentatively credited to Al Carreno) in Captain Marvel Jr. #5.
Fiction House:
the Camilla, Queen of the Lost Empire, stories in Jungle Comics (1940) #10-15
With these Camilla, Queen of the Lost Empire, stories I went from September of 1940 to January of 1941. The writers of all of these stories are unknown. The story in issue #10 was tentatively credited to artist Jim Chambers, the one in issue #11 to possibly being drawn by Jim Mooney or Al Gabrielle, and the one in issue #12 to artist Bob Powell with possibly him or Saul Rosen doing the inking. And the art of the stories in issues #13-15 were credited to Bob Webb with the note that the story in issue #13 was possibly inked by David Heames. These stories were all six to seven pages.
I went back and forth during this batch of stories on exactly how romantic the relationship between the queen Camilla and her knight Sir Champion is. Prior to this batch they hadn't been portrayed as romantic, just as a queen and her deeply loyal knight who she has a close friendship with. Stories like the ones in issues #10-12 where Camilla was endangered and Sir Champion went on a quest to rescue her worked well in the platonic framing. But the story in issue #13 had Sir Champion captured and Camilla working to rescue him and the role reversal brought with it a romantic implication. And then the story in issue #15 was based around the evil Prince Renardo wanting to marry Camilla and trying to kill Sir Champion to get him out of the way after Camilla rejects her.
And there was some slight adjustments to the way the two of them interacted with one another. The story in issue #11 began with the two of them walking through the lost empire's gardens together in the evening and Camilla tells Sir Champion that she's cold and asks him to get her wrap for her. The story in issue #15 begins with the two of them alone together in a private area of Camilla's castle where Camilla is sharing her fears with Sir Champion and he's comfortingly holding her hand. The interpersonal moments aren't necessarily beyond the regular bounds of the queen and knight relationship, but they're more domestic than we've seen them in prior stories.
And in the story in issue #13 where Camilla saves Sir Champion, when they unite Sir Champion calls her "my darling" as opposed to the typical "my queen" and the story ends with the two of them on their way home fondly looking at each other. And in the story in issue #15 where an evil prince tries to kill Sir Champion so that he can marry Camilla, when Camilla rejects the prince she says it's because "I can't betray my people by accepting" while she has a hand on Sir Champion's face with no explanation of how that marriage would negatively affect her citizens and the story ends with Camilla and Sir Champion holding onto another and one of Camilla's wizards saying "Bless you my children! I am happy that I live to see you together again." If they are intended to be romantic, I'm not sure why there's a hesitation to make it explicit with one of them professing their love for the other directly or kissing in these moments where they're just hugging. I have seen some kissing in Golden Age comics before, though I also have noticed a tendency to have characters be fiancés more often than having them be actually married.
Fox Features:
the Sub Saunders stories in Fantastic Comics (1939) #1-8
With these Sub Saunders stories I went from October 1939 to May 1940. These stories ranged from six to seven pages. All of the Sub Saunders stories are signed Karl Kief and so naturally the Grand Comics Database credits all of the Sub Saunders stories across issues #1-21 as well as the one in Blue Beetle (1940) #6 to Henry Kiefer; but I believe that while Karl Kief may have started out as a pseudonym for Henry Kiefer, that it eventually became just the house name for this specific character considering how the art styles changes for the stories throughout the issues. The Sub Saunders stories in issues #1-5 and #8 have a uniquely detailed and beautiful style and I think that those are the only ones actually drawn by Henry Kiefer.
But the art styles of the stories in issues #6 and #7 are familiar to me; I think that the artists of them also worked on another character in Fantastic Comics that I’ve read through, Flip Falcon in the Fourth Dimension. Specifically, I think that the artist of the Sub Saunders story in issue #6 also drew the Flip Falcon story in that issue and that artist of the Sub Saunders story in issue #7 also drew the Flip Falcon story in that issue and likely also the ones in issues #9-10 and #14-15 as well.
I checked and the Grand Comics Database credits or tentatively credits the art of the Flip Falcon stories in issues #4-8 and #14-17 to Don Rico with also possible tentative credits to Claire S. Moe for the stories in issues #2-3 and #12 and #17. I’m not well-versed in either of these artists, but this also seems unrealistic to me considering the variety of art across these stories; particularly that the Flip Falcon stories in issues #1-5 and #8 have a really strong style that is unlike any of the subsequent Flip Falcon stories (and, to be clear, is also not like the Sub Saunders stories in those issues). Like how the Sub Saunders stories are all signed Karl Kief regardless of style changes, all of the Flip Falcon stories are signed Orville Wells. I also want to note that Flip Falcon’s girlfriend’s name is Adele but in a few stories she was accidentally called Peg, which is the name of Sub Saunders’ girlfriend.
The Grand Comics Database tentatively credits Toni Blum with writing the first Sub Saunders stories. Assuming she really wrote it, then I would assume that she also wrote all of the rest of the stories that Henry Kiefer drew considering the continuity in those stories. Sub Saunders gains the ability to exist underwater just fine without a suit from the great oceantalogist Professor Foama in the story in issue #4 and that is maintained in the stories in issues #5 and #8 but he's depicted as still needing a suit in the stories in issues #6 and #7.
The introduction to the first story reads: “It is the year 10,000. The Earth is completely changed. Atlantis, ancient sunken city- is known to still exist. Sub, a young naval captain, with a submarine of his own design, is given a crew, and sent to explore the depths of the Atlantic.” In the first story Sub discovers Atlantis and meets their queen Lantida and by the end of it he's taken her back with him to the U.S. for safety because her kingdom was taken over by the Frogmen who had previously been her kingdom's slaves. In the beginning of the second story Lantida makes a deal with the U.S. to receive their assistance in reclaiming her kingdom and freeing her people from enslavement by the Frogmen and then Sub Saunders leads an army of submarines to invade Atlantis and kill the new leader Naulus. The third story has Sub go on an exploratory mission that's initially unrelated to Lantida and Atlantis, but when he's captured by Poseida, the king of the kingdom of Coralla, he contacts Lantida for help and she brings her Frogmen army to rescue him and kill Lantida. The fourth story remains unrelated to Lantida and Sub's previous adventures, other than his increasing expertise in the underwater realm, and has Sub go on an exploratory mission which ends up with him captured by Prince Pizga of the submerged city of Crustacea and he escapes without Lantida but with the assistance of the sympathetic pearl hunter Thetis. In the fifth story Sub is on a mission specifically to discover why ships are disappearing which ends up being the fault of the king Kelpa of an unnamed underwater city which Sub is also able to defeat without Lantida's help. And in the eight story Sub is specifically on a mission to rescue Landita who has gone missing and who is turns out was kidnapped by the Octopeople who wanted to sacrifice her to their giant Octopus god.
While I do still like the two stories not drawn by him, the artwork by Henry Kiefer here is stunningly beautiful. Sometimes I will see nice artwork in a Golden Age comic book where's it's a particular background on a specific page that's detailed, but the style here is very consistent in their being a lot of effort done for everything. The scenery of the underwater scenes outside of the kingdoms, the unique aquatic-themed architecture and the technology of the kingdoms, the details on all of the Frogmen even in scenes where there's lots of them, the figures and their clothing and faces- it's all very impressive.
Brookwood Comics:
the Lieutenant Jim Cannon stories in Speed Comics (1939) #6-7 and #9-11
These Lieutenant Jim Cannon went from March 1940 to August 1940. The stories in issues #6-7 and #10-11 were drawn by Chuck Winter and the story in issue #9 was drawn by Witmer Williams. There was a Lieutenant Jim Cannon story in issue #8 but the scan of that issue available online is incomplete so I was not able to read it. All of these stories were six pages. Issue #12 is the point where the series was taken over by Harvey Comics so I imagine that that's at least possibly responsible for the character's end.
I picked this to read because of the stories credited to Chuck Winter as he drew the first four Camilla, Queen of the Lost Empire, stories that were published from October 1939 to March 1940 and that I thought were pretty and well-executed, but other than the first story here I didn't think the art was remarkable, though certainly not bad or ineffective. I thought that the story in issue #6 had an overall pleasant style with a stand-out panel on page three that was a large drawing depicting workmen putting large bullets into a ship's guns with nice detailing on the fabric on their pants and the shapes of their bare backs and torsos.
I found that following Harry Lemon Parkhurst's comic career around got me reading new kinds of comics that I hadn't ever tried before and that's part of what's motivating me to specifically seek out comics from Golden Age artists whose work I've enjoyed before. I had never read any military comics before, let alone navy-specific ones, and I actually found it a bit of a tricky adjustment. Most of the kinds of physical conflict I see in Golden Age comics (like superhero, detective, jungle, and sci-fi comics) is based on human beings, sometimes with superpowers, fighting each other directly. These stories were largely based on fighting with large ships, submarines, and airplanes and I had to read each story twice to be able to keep track of the which belonged to which side throughout the story and what effect was caused by the actions done even though these stories really were not at all meant to be difficult.
Parts of the stories that stood out to me were the ending of the story in issue #9 where the mad captain of an enemy ship sets it up himself to blow up and then refuses to leave because "Captain must always go down with his ship!" and that the story in issue #10 was a espionage-focused story with a limited amount of the usual boat vs. boat-focused conflict Jim Cannon works with a G.I. woman to discover and then disarm bombs hidden on his ship.
And parts of the art that stood out to me beyond the story in issue #6 was the use of maps in the stories in issues #9 and #11 to depict the relative positions of the various relevant ships in the ocean and the use of diagrams of the ship in the story in issue #10 to show how the ship generally resists torpedos, where the bombs are placed directly on the ship, and how Jim Cannon and the G.I. woman are able to get on it.
Raw Books:
Agony by Mark Beyer, published in 1987
Agony begins with the couple Jordan and Amy being fired from their jobs and then depicts their lives afterwards as just a long series of disasters, many of which end up with Amy in the hospital. These fantastical disasters include things like the two of them surviving a random explosion only for all of Amy's skin to fall off and her being a skeleton for a decent chunk of a book as she slowly recovers, Amy throwing a large sum of money that they received into the street because she doesn't feel that they earned it only to learn the next day that multiple people died in scramble to get some of it, and Jordan sending Amy to go stay with her aunt in the country thinking that she'll get better in that environment only for her to get there and walk in on her aunt's corpse with two strange men who say "We just murdered your aunt! Haw haw haw! And you're next! Haw! Haw" and chase her, strangle her, kick her teeth out, and dump her body outside. The direct dialogue style and absurd black humor chain of events almost reminds me of a Golden Age book.
Amy's perspective throughout the book changes. She gets severely effected by all of the catastrophes they go through and at one point attempts suicide, but towards the end of the book she starts trying to develop a healthier outlook and says she wants to make something of her life, which is something that gets complicated by all of the nonsense that they can't help but experience. One particularly emblematic scene of this is a page where Amy and Jordan have a conversation that starts with Amy saying "All we can do is to just keep trying to improve ourselves. We've got no other choice really." Jordan asks, "But how can we?" Amy responds, "I don't know." "Jordan says, "Why do things seem so pointless and stupid? Whatever you do in life it ultimately makes no difference." Amy says, "We can't continue like this." Then Jordan says, "I feel like we're falling," and, sure enough, they were. The country road they had been walking on somehow dissolved and they fall into a random stockyard, still outside.
The book ends with them magically falling into a seemingly perfect situation. They're in a really lovely apartment with a lease that's somehow in their name and a note that says that their rent has been paid in advance for the next year. The very last page is them in bed together saying "Maybe everything will finally be ok now, Jordan" and "Yes. Maybe" with a weird creature with a bloody knife creeping in through the door, ready to send them in another turn in their life of eternal disasters.
The art style of the book is really strange. I couldn't really make sense of the bizarre shapes of the character's heads. But I wouldn't say that it's in any way sloppy or rushed. It's a consistent style with surfaces always being filled with lines or dots rather than just drawing the outline and leaving it there. And the weirdness of the way everything looks makes the strange happening seem more believable than they would in a realistic world.
Newspaper Comic Strips:
the Connie strips from September 24th to November 25th of 1929
There was sixty Connie strips in this batch. Connie, which was written and drawn by Frank Godwin, was at this point a black-and-white strip of a single row of panels ordinarily published once every day of the week except Sundays. However, it switched from one strip a day to two on November 16th and then went back to one strip a day on November 23rd.
I had previously been reading the Connie strips that were reprinted in the Eastern Color Publishing Company's comic series Famous Funnies (1934) and stopped when I learned that the Ilovecomix Archive had earlier strips that I could read. Those Famous Funnies strips were in color and four rows of panels per strip and all depicted stand-alone stories, whereas these Connie strips have longer ongoing stories. Most of the Famous Funnies strips had Connie working as a detective in a detective agency, but then some of the later ones focused more on her social life as a young wealthy girl, and then a few had her working as a reporter for the Daily Buzz.
These Connie strips start off in the middle of a story where Connie was working in some capacity in foreign military affairs. I don't know how long the strip had been going on for before this or what those were all about but I'm assuming it wasn't very long because it seemed to me in this batch that the character Connie and therefore the creator of the Connie strip was still figuring how what she was going to be doing. The only notable thing about those first few early strips is that they demonstrate her ingenuity as a unique problem-solver and that the character Jack was there as he was also in those Famous Funnies strips as a partner in the detective agency Connie worked for and then also as the guy Connie liked.
After returning to the U.S. Connie gets a job as a interior decorator which lasts for exactly one client. The story is less focused on the decorating and more on that Connie's client was a criminal and his job for his was involved in his crimes but here it's not Connie doing the detective work but an inspector from Scotland Yard who intervenes in the situation.
Right after this resolves Connie gets a job as a reporter for the Daily Buzz. This batch of strips covers three cases that she solves: preventing the kidnaping of the child of a wealthy family by pretending to be the child's nurse so that the criminals will hire Connie in their own home in the attempt to be able to plant their own person as the child's nanny but which really allows Connie to spy on their plans, solving a mystery in which a large gold cup went missing and Connie believed that the wrong person was suspected and then proves it by proving that a fat waiter was not actually fat but had pretended to be so that he could fit the large object in his clothes, and solving a mystery where the only possible suspect in a bank robbery was the bank manager who had an airtight alibi by tracking down and proving that he had an identical twin brother that impersonated him for alibi. There's also the beginning of the next mystery in which Connie needs to figure out what happened to a famous scientist who disappeared and a strip in which a publisher suggests that Connie with all her success as a reporter could do well writing a fiction novel. Something notable about Connie's solved cases and the preceding story in which a mystery was solved by an inspector from Scotland Yard is that they all use the same technique in not providing exactly all of the information the sleuthing character has to the audience and why they're taking certain actions and then revealing it all at the end with a strip that walks through how the crime had been committed and how it was solved with a lot of small captioned panels going through the whole story with all of the information.
I enjoyed how quickly Connie gained a great reputation as a detective. She gets her second case because a reader of the paper remembered how remarkably she handled the first case and calls Connie for help and then that story ends with the Detective Sergeant of the police reading Connie's story in the paper and saying "By golly! She's a smart one- she ought to be on the force instead of wasting her time as a reporter." He then asks Connie for help with the third case because he's stumped with it.
In the strips that I read that were reprinted in Famous Funnies, Connie was an incredibly effective detective because, as they were all stand alone stories, the mystery had to be introduced and Connie had to have solved it within four rows of panels, meaning she pretty much always figured things out instantly. I noticed that in the Jane Arden strips I've read, which is another girl reporter strip, the cases being longer stories and not told exclusively in standalone stories meant that Jane Arden was often wrong and so working on the wrong track and then would eventually learn enough information to course correct and get to the right answer by the end. So far in these strips Connie isn't really wrong about things, she's always working on the correct path, it's just that the detective process is convoluted and so takes up a lot of strips.
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La Vie Hotels & Resorts announces new General Managers at The Motley Hotel and The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood
Following the recent signing of The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood and The Motley Hotel, La Vie Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeremy Nordkamp as General Manager at The Motley Hotel and Melanie Watson as General Manager at The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood.
An experienced hotelier and leader in the luxury hotel space, Jeremy brings over 15 years of local and international experience to his new position having worked across a range of luxury boutique hotels both locally and internationally.
Prior to joining The Motley Hotel, Jeremy managed a number of 5-star boutique properties including the launch of The Calile Hotel Brisbane and Kandima Maldives in addition to having leadership roles at Crystalbrook Vincent, Crystalbrook Riley, Ovolo Laneways, Peppers Dockland and Peppers Beach Club.
As a highly skilled and results driven general manager, Jeremy is looking forward to welcoming guests to The Motley Hotel when it opens its doors early next year providing a true lifestyle hotel experience in the heart of Richmond.
With extensive experience in the tourism and hospitality industry across various management and sales and marketing roles, Melanie’s passion for the hospitality industry developed after first working at Flemington Racecourse.
As a dedicated and driven, service focused manager, her past experience includes leadership roles at Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley, Marnong Estate and Rydges Hotel Bell City where she honed her commitment to service efficiencies, guest experiences and maintaining a positive team environment.
Related Article: La Vie Hotels & Resorts grows its presence in Victoria with multi-partnership deal with Amber Property Group | The Hotel Conversation
Craig Bond, Managing Director of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, said “As we continue to experience significant growth in Melbourne, we’re thrilled to welcome Jeremy and Melanie to the team and know that having such experienced and talented managers leading our teams will see both properties go from strength to strength.”
Due to launch in early 2023, The Motley Hotel is an 80-room lifestyle hotel ideally located on Bridge Road, close to shopping boutiques, the MCG and Rod Laver Arena, with Melbourne CBD only a short distance away ensuring it will be a very popular choice for leisure travellers when it opens.
The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood, which opened in 2021, is ideally positioned at the gateway to the Yarra Valley and offers 102 stylishly appointed rooms and apartments that boast a warm and sophisticated palette, local Victorian cuisine in The Orchard Restaurant and Bar as well as 24-hour concierge services, a fitness centre and two meeting spaces fitted with the latest AV technology.
For more information on La Vie Hotels & Resorts, please visit: www.laviehotels.com
Related Reading:
La Vie Hotels & Resorts grows its presence in Victoria with multi-partnership deal with Amber Property Group | The Hotel Conversation
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Originally published at Melbourne News Vine
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Invisalign Teen in Smithtown
Welcome to Northshore Orthodontics. Top Rated Smithtown Orthodontist, Dr. Craig Smith, offers comprehensive early and adult orthodontic treatment to patients in and around Smithtown.We also offer Invisalign & braces to patients in a warm and friendly environment with a strong focus on customer service and satisfaction. Invisalign straightens your teeth without wires and brackets, using a series of clear, customized, removable appliances called aligners. Northshore Orthodontics provides best Invisalign teen in Smithtown. It’s virtually undetectable, which means hardly anyone will know that you’re straightening your teeth.
If you’re looking for a way to remove the embarrassment of metal brackets for your teen, check out Invisalign. It uses advanced 3D digital scanning technology to create custom-made aligners that gradually move your teeth into place. If you’re looking for an affordable, pain-free alternative to drilling and wire removal, you may consider Invisalign. Invisalign is a series of custom-made clear aligners that slowly move teeth into place during regular office visits. The small movements are especially helpful for people with shallow back teeth who can be more prone to cavities and gum recession.
If you want to find an alternative treatment for braces, an invisible orthodontic device called Invisalign is a great choice. With Invisalign, you won’t have any metal brackets visible in your mouth. Instead, the aligners gently move your teeth into place and then are covered by ceramic or translucent bands that can be removed once the treatment is complete. For more information about this invisalign teen in Smithtown treatment and how it works, read more about Invisalign Teen below.
It's hard to believe that there could be something as simple as Invisalign to treat your teen's crooked smile. The teenagers in Smithtown are familiar with braces and have never known anything different. But these clear aligners can make all the difference in the world. They do so much more than just straighten teeth—they also remove the experience of wearing a set of ugly brackets.
Invisalign aligners are clear; no one may even notice you’re wearing braces, making Invisalign a seamless fit with your lifestyle and day-to-day interactions with others. Invisalign is removable. Unlike braces, you have the flexibility to eat and drink what you want during treatment simply by removing the aligners when you eat. You can also remove the aligners to brush and floss as you normally would for fresh breath and good oral hygiene. Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign does not use metal brackets or wires that could cause irritation to your mouth. In addition, you’ll spend less time in the doctor’s chair and having to schedule appointments, and more time out doing the things you love. Lastly, Invisalign allows you to view your virtual results and treatment plan before you start your treatment, so you can preview how your straight teeth will look once your treatment is complete.
Invisalign teen in Smithtown uses the same Invisalign technology as adult aligners, moving teeth gradually with each set of clear, comfortable plastic aligners. Best of all, Invisalign teen works. So teens can smile with confidence and parents can, too.
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Tips for Investing in Business Technology
Tips for Investing in Business Technology
https://ift.tt/jrc5na2
Investing in business technology is essential for staying competitive in today’s digital landscape. However, making the right technology investments requires careful consideration and planning.
Here are some tips to help you navigate the process and maximize the value of your technology investments:
Set Clear Goals:
Before investing in technology, clearly define your business goals and objectives. Determine what specific outcomes or improvements you expect to achieve through technology adoption. This will help you align your investment decisions with your business strategy and ensure your chosen technology supports your objectives.
Conduct a Needs Assessment:
Assess your current technology infrastructure and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. Understand the pain points and challenges that technology can address within your organization. Engage with stakeholders and end-users to gather their input and understand their requirements.
Research and Evaluate:
Take the time to research and evaluate different technology solutions available in the market. Compare features, functionalities, and pricing to determine which solution fits your needs and budget best. Consider scalability and future-proofing to ensure the technology can grow with your business.
Consider Integration and Compatibility:
Evaluate how the new technology will integrate with your existing systems and processes. Compatibility with your current infrastructure is crucial to avoid unnecessary complications and ensure smooth implementation. Look for technology solutions that offer open APIs and have a history of successful integrations with other systems commonly used in your industry.
Calculate Return on Investment (ROI):
Assess the potential return on investment of the technology you plan to invest in. Consider tangible and intangible benefits, such as increased productivity, cost savings, improved customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. Compare the expected benefits against the upfront and ongoing costs of implementing and maintaining the technology.
Plan for Training and Adoption:
Investing in technology is only effective if your employees can use and adopt the new tools. Allocate resources and develop a comprehensive training plan to ensure your staff understands how to leverage the technology to its fullest potential. Consider providing ongoing support and fostering a culture of continuous learning to promote technology adoption and maximize its benefits.
Prioritize Data Security:
As technology becomes more prevalent, the risk of cyber threats increases. Prioritize data security when investing in business technology. Look for solutions that have built-in security features and follow industry best practices.
Stay Flexible and Agile:
Technology is continuously evolving, and new advancements emerge regularly. When investing in business technology, consider solutions that offer flexibility and scalability. Look for cloud-based solutions that adapt to changing business needs and allow easy upgrades. Being agile and adaptable will enable you to leverage new technologies as they become available, keeping your business competitive.
Investing in business technology requires careful planning, research, and evaluation. By setting clear goals, assessing your needs, researching solutions, considering integration, calculating ROI, planning training, prioritizing security, and staying flexible, you can make informed technology investment decisions that drive your business forward and position you for long-term success.
The post Tips for Investing in Business Technology first appeared on Craig Warme | Technology.
via Craig Warme | Technology https://craigwarme.net
March 04, 2024 at 12:30PM
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CRAIG: *sigh* whatever, this is just another boring school day in this weird town. i couldn’t be more grat-
CLYDE: CRAIG BRO!! GOOD MORNING DUDE!
TOKEN: hey dude
JIMMY: g-go-good m-morning cr-craig!
CRAIG: hey guys
TOKEN: how’s tweek? did he text you or something?
JIMMY: dude t-that’s insane! he h-has been l-lo-locked in his r-room for t-two weeks!
CRAIG: he's struggling with all this shit plus his parents are just giving him more coffee because they're busier enjoying life while those shits do all their chores instead of worrying about their son
CLYDE: do you think we can visit him?
CRAIG: think so, i saw him yesterday and he would love seeing you guys
TOKEN: we will go after school then!
CLYDE: unfortunately:(
JIMMY: l-let’s go or t-they will be m-mad
TOKEN: please, i don’t want to remember what happened last time
AT SCHOOL
ALIEN: ω ㅎ Ξ Θ ㆆヿ؈ ㅖㅖㅖュ؏ ۹ づㅗㅎ Ξ Θ ؏ ヿ゠ㅑ ں ϑ ۹ づ۹ㆆヿ؈ ㅗㅎ Ξ ㅖㅆぇۿ ㆁ
TRANSLATOR: dear students of Future South Park High School. We are glad to inform you that we have new exchange partners as a way to meet new people and show them all the advances that thanks to the technology of “A R E A ヿ゠ㅑ ں ϑ” we have been able to establish
ALIEN: ㅻϖ ㆅ؇ ۸ く
TRANSLATOR: please, give a warm welcome to our guesses!
STAN: no
KYLE: fucking
CARTMAN: WAY!!!
CARTMAN: KENNY YOU WANKER!! WAKE UP WE ARE IN A SERIOUS TROUBLE!!!
KENNY: wha- oh shit
#future park#ask#south park ask blog#south park#craig tucker#tweek tweak#clyde donovan#jimmy valmer#token black#kenny mccormick#eric cartman#kyle broflovski#stan marsh#creek#pip pirrup#ze mole#south park gregory#south park estella
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Spooktober 2021
Day 5 - Witch
Fandom: James Bond (Craig Movies)
Also on AO3
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He'd heard it for years, to the point that he no longer had to bite back his preferred response. "Q, I don't know how you do it. You're a tech wizard." He knew what they were saying; that he was good at what he did, to the point that it was almost unbelievable. That what he did had to be some sort of magic in the minds of the people who didn't know.
He never corrected them, just accepted what he knew to be a compliment with either a small smile or an expressive roll of the eyes. That was what they expected of him. They didn't want to know the truth.
He wasn't a tech wizard. He was a witch.
It wasn't just technology that he could influence but he had the most control when it came to gears and wires and electricity. Others might have an affinity for fire or water. He was just a different brand, if you would.
Magic didn’t factor into life for most of the people at MI6. As far as Q knew, no one even knew about it, which was just fine with him. He wouldn’t have made a very good spy if he couldn’t keep secrets and work in the shadows.
He should have realized, however, that a good spy could also find out other people’s secrets. A good spy like James Bond.
They’d only been dating a few weeks, and Q had only just begun to consider how to tell Bond the truth about his life. Magic wasn’t something you could spring on a person, after all.
Q set up his flat for their date, lighting candles and ordering dinner for Bond to pick up on his way over when a notification on his computer caught his attention. He opened the laptop and got to work, manipulating the energy around it rather than actually touching the keys. He pretended to do things the mundane way while at work, but he didn’t see any reason to hide in his own home.
Magic gathered and flowed around him, the purple glow such a constant in his life that he didn’t even notice it. It was as normal to him as breathing, as sleeping.
“Q?” The voice from the doorway had him stop and Q turned, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights as he looked at Bond standing there with the takeaway in hand. “What was that?” He’d forgotten he’d programmed the door to see Bond as a welcome guest and to let him in whenever he arrived.
The light of his magic flashed once then retreated back inside him, hiding from someone Q knew wouldn’t understand. “Um…?” His normally quick mind failed him and Q was left floundering, looking for the right word that would explain the unexplainable.
“Because it looked like magic. Only different magic than I’ve ever seen.” Bond kicked the door closed and came to stand between him. “Technology magic? It would make sense.”
“How would that make sense?!” Never in his life had Q ever met someone as confusing as James Bond. It made him attractive and interesting but also made Q annoyed more often than not.
Bond smiled that terrifying smile that he had when he knew he had someone right where he wanted them and stalked forward pinning Q between the table and his own body. “I’ve never seen that color before, so it would have to be magic I haven’t experienced. And knowing what you do for a living, it is the most logical answer. Sometimes I think you truly believe I’m nothing more than a hired gun.” The words would have carried more of a sting if Bond wasn’t smiling as he said them.
“No, I think you have a death wish. If you weren’t smart, you wouldn’t have survived this long.” Bond continued smirking at him, waiting for something. A moment later, Q understood what Bond was implying. "Are you saying that you...?"
Bond held up his hand and a warm golden magic flowed around it. It was a rare color, one Q had only seen a couple times in his whole life, despite having grown up in the magical community of London. "You didn't think that all those miraculous survivals were actual miracles, did you?"
Healing magic. A lot of things made more sense with that realization. "I should realize that you will never stop surprising me, shouldn't I?"
"It might make things easier."
Bond kissed him and distantly Q heard the door slam shut, his magic flaring out to activate the mechanism that operated it. Life with Bond was never dull, and Q couldn't wait to see how the man surprised him next.
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Jessica Barclay: Healing Hearts While Making a Living
“Tap, tap, tap.”
Or is it, “RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!! … RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!”?
“Tap, tap, tap …”?
Or … “RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!! … RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!”?
Jessica Barclay, an eternal optimist who co-owns two businesses in Wheeling, insists she hears only the taps while reality begs to differ during this phase of the streetscape project. Triton Construction won the $30 million bid and its crews currently are smack-dab in front of Barclay’s ThrIVe Wheeling.
So, tap, tap, tap it is in downtown, and whenever else she and her partner Vanessa encounter issues with their Play N Stay Pet Camp locations in St. Clairsville, Elm Grove, and in South Wheeling. Barclay’s positive attitude – if ya really think about it – should be expected, though, right? Because of the nature of the two businesses, perhaps?
Seriously, the staff at ThrIVe, the website describes, uses the latest technology that “helps you look better, feel better, and perform better” with a number of regenerating therapies, and Play N Stay? Caring for canines? Hugging puppies?
Well, that sure is a lot of healing and a lot of loving to do for a living.
And it explains everything.
Vanessa Craig and Jessica Barclay opened ThrIVe Wheeling shortly before the coronavirus pandemic.
How have you come to know dogs so well?
First, I loved them, then I studied them and those who think differently about them. Then I let them teach me.
If you pay attention, dogs will show you what's important to them and why. It's like a two-person mutual conversation. The old days of commanding dogs to only be and do what we need them to be have changed.
Dogs have biological, genetic, and emotional needs, as well as a desire to understand their world. Once we understand how to engage them harmoniously, it's better for all of us.
Do you believe dogs can tell when someone is a “dog person”? If so, how?
No, I don’t. They seem to care you are there, but some dogs are so excited to see someone, anyone, and maybe haven't been taught to match energy/read the room, so they can be overbearing, no matter the feelings of the person. Others have been conditioned or are naturally timid, and they want nothing to do with anyone – even dog people.
Some people inadvertently show threatening body language (smile = baring teeth; towering over = rude in dog world; direct eye contact = predatory stare; screeching verbally = confusing), even though they profess to be “dog people”.
All of these can be helped with training and education, so they are warm and reciprocal with those who put off "dog person" vibes.
The Play N Stay in South Wheeling is the new location and offers canines special accommodations.
What was your favorite all-time Halloween costume when you were a kid?
Probably something simple like a witch, but it wasn't a big holiday for me as a kid.
We didn't make holidays a big thing when I was a kid because we owned businesses from when I was very young and that always came first. But we always decorated for every holiday and always had "special" time together.
On some days, we got together with extended family and that was always extra special. That’s why "Together" will always be my favorite holiday.
What are first-time Thrive customers most surprised about following their visit?
They always say the same thing – "It's so awesome in here" and "I can't believe we have this in Wheeling!"
We hear, “This is NEAT! This is FORWARD thinking! This FANTASTIC! These options! This TECHNOLOGY! This LEVEL OF TRAINING! This LEVEL OF SERVICE! This is SO FANTASTIC! This is UNBELIEVABLE!"
And we love every word.
Barclay is very excited about the recent therapy expansions at ThrIVe in downtown Wheeling.
When is the last time you got muddy, and what were doing?
That’s funny … while investigating a flooded basement. Stepped off the bottom step and "whoosh!" Down I went! Mud from hair to toes and I hurt my butt and I hurt my feelings. But, I hobbled to the shower and then decided I was fine. All the mud and bad feelings ran straight down the drain.
Now, that basement? That took days.
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We’re Starting To Lose It So We Made A Fake Music Award Show To Remember The Quarantine By
We are losing our minds and we aren’t talking figuratively like The Pixies. Every morning waking up in quarantine feels like an episode of Punk’d.
Where is Aston Kutcher -- oh right, it’s 2020 -- Where is Chance The Rapper? we ask ourselves as we peel ourselves out of bed for what feels like the millionth time.
Seriously, though. We know you guys are feeling the same way too. We read the tweets. We see the TikToks. Ya’ll are losing your goddamn minds just like us.
The good thing is, to help with this sense of craziness as best as we possibly can (which isn’t saying much, we aren’t doctors after all -- shout out to all the amazing medical teams out there!) we have constructed the first and hopefully last 2020 Noise Quarantine Awards.
Featuring highly coveted awards such as Best Soundtrack To Fuel Your Hatred For The Government and Best Song To Steal Toilet Paper To, the awards below are meant to shine a light on all the positive things to come out of 2020.
We know it sounds like an impossible task to put “2020″ and “postive” in the same sentence but somehow we did it.
Check out the awards below.
Fantastic Features Award
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Silverstein - A Beautiful Place To Drown
Honestly, there are probably about ten different awards we could give Silverstein’s sensational LP A Beautiful Place To Drown. From start to finish, this is hands down one of the band’s best albums yet. However, for the sake of this very serious and very made-up award show, we are happy to present the scene staples with the Fantastic Features Award.
Not only did the band include familiar favorites such as Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo, Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier and Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie, but they also went out of their way to include other artists such as emerging rapper Princess Nokia and Intervals’ guitarist Aaron Marshall. Now if that doesn’t deserve an award, we don’t know what does.
Back Off Pit Daddies Cause This Song Slaps Award
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A Day To Remember - “Mindreader”
But there’s no breakdown! How am I supposed to mosh to this? Would you quit your whining? It’s pretty much impossible for A Day To Remember to write a bad song. And sorry to break it to you pit warriors, they definitely didn’t start with their newest track “Mindreader.
Best Album To Eventually Soundtrack The Next Matrix Movie
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Code Orange - Underneath
Does this one really come as a surprise? Essentially creating their own genre of technology-influenced metalcore (computer core, maybe?), Code Orange’s Underneath is the perfect soundtrack to any type of action-packed, dark web-based, sci-fi thriller like The Matrix trilogy. Now would you like the red pill or the blue pill?
The Welcome Back, We Fuckin’ Missed You Award
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The Ghost Inside - “Aftermath”
A world without new music from The Ghost Inside is a world we don’t want any part of. Thankfully, for the first time since their tragic bus crash back in 2015, the metalcore maestros have returned with the hard-hitting and incredibly emotional track “Aftermath” taken from their soon-to-be-released self-titled album. So for that, the least we could do is present the band with the Welcome Back, We Fuckin’ Missed You Award.
Honorable Mention: D.R.U.G.S (aka Craig Owens) - “King I Am”
Best Song To Listen To On Repeat And Realize You Successfully Killed Two And A Half Hours Of Your Quarantine
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Loathe - “Screaming”
There is nothing made up about this whatsoever. We seriously thank Loathe for creating mind-altering music that transports you to a new dimension. “Screaming” is a gem and the band deserves to be awarded for it. Oh, and also, I Let It In And It Took Everything is an amazing record everyone needs to hear ASAP.
Best Album To Get Drunk And Talk About Your Feelings To
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Violent Soho - Everything Is A-OK
We’re not sure exactly what it is about Australia’s Violent Soho but they always seem to bring the deepest and darkest emotions out of us. Their latest LP Everything Is A-OK is no different. From track one to track ten, the band’s first new album since 2016 is an emotional magnet attracting feeling after feeling leaving us desperate for a drinking buddy and a good cry.
The If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Award
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August Burns Red - Guardians
August Burns Red has been a prominent staple of the heavy music scene for years. Since bursting out of Lancaster, PA with 2005′s Thrill Seeker, the two-time Grammy-nominated act has been a constant source of inspiration with their bruising, top-notch musicianship. Fifteen years later, with the release of their ninth studio album Guardians, the metalcore vets are still as heavy and hard-hitting as ever deserving of our If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Award.
Best Album To Eventually Soundtrack The Next Season Of Black Mirror
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Enter Shikari - Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
Enter Shikari is easily one of the most unpredictable bands in our scene. One minute you think you have them and their eclectic sound pinned down, then the next they release their genre-shattering LP Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible. With cinematic twists and turns from the rock-oriented opener “THE GREAT UNKNOWN” to the cosmic tornado that is “{ The Dreamer’s Hotel }” and circus-themed “Waltzing Off The Face Of The Earth,” Enter Shikari’s spellbinding LP is a perfect fit for something just as fascinating as the next season of Netflix’s Black Mirror.
Best Album To Get Your Medical Degree To
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Vermicide Violence - The Praxis Of Prophylaxis
We understand it’s not easy to comprehend deathcore lyrics. However, if you’re in need of a good study buddy while you prepare for the boards, look no further than Jarrod Alonge’s new parody album The Praxis Of Prophylaxis. Covering high-end medical topics such as vaccines, gingivitis, asthma and more, Vermicide Violence’s new LP is sure to help a lot more than those Grey’s Anatomy re-runs.
The Tasmanian Devil Award
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Rotting Out - Ronin
The Tasmanian Devil award is a highly coveted prize (possibly one of our most coveted) given to the album with hands down the most circle-pit-inducing tracks. While there have been some pretty good options this year, the record that stands out the most is Rotting Out’s first new album in over seven years, Ronin. Without going too far into detail -- because honestly, it’s pretty obvious why we picked this record -- if you’re able to stand still while listening to these fiery ass songs, you’re probably a cop.
Best Album To Get Drunk And Talk About Your Feelings To Part Two
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Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces, Everyone
Really? You’re gonna complain we used the same category twice in a made-up award show only created cause we’re stuck living fucking Groundhog Day over and over again? Instead, how about you put that same energy into enjoying Spanish Love Songs’ brilliant, tear-jerking album Brave Faces, Everyone. You won’t regret it.
Best Soundtrack To Fuel Your Hatred For The Government
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Anti-Flag - 20/20 Vision
Regardless of if you’re really into politics or not, it’s practically impossible at this point to not swear at our so-called “leaders” up in Washington DC. So if you’re looking for the best album to fuel your hatred for the Head Cheeto In Charge and all his helpless minions, look no further than Anti-Flag’s powerful 20/20 Vision.
Honorable Mention: The Homeless Gospel Choir - This Land Is Your Landfill
The Album Most Likely To Get You Out Of Mosh Pit Retirement
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Polaris - The Death Of Me
This record is the definition of “slaps.” From beginning to end, Polaris’ punishing new album The Death Of Me is a heavy-duty rollercoaster ride that will leave you with a melted off face and an endless desire to jump back in the pit and crack a few skulls.
Best Album To Rip A Phat Riff To
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Hot Mulligan - You’ll Be Fine
Hot Mulligan are a bunch of jokesters but there’s nothing funny about their new album You’ll Be Fine -- alright, maybe a few of the song titles are a little silly. The band’s latest release is a guitarist’s delight with ringing mathcore-like riffs that will leave you both jubilant and jealous. Case in point, give the infectious opener “OG Bule Sky” a spin and get back to us.
Honestly, Fight Us, This Song Is A Bop Award
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All Time Low feat Blackbear - “Monsters”
We know what some of you cool cats and kittens are thinking: But this isn’t pop-punk!? Since when does Blackbear get a scene pass? Listen up. No, this song isn’t “Dear Maria, Count Me In” but who cares? It’s 2020 and musical genres are dead. Enjoy the good music while you can before we’re all dead too, okay?
Honorable mention: PVRIS - “Deadweight”
Best Song To Steal Toilet Paper To
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The Chats - “Drunk N Disorderly”
If you haven’t had the fear of potentially wiping your ass with a washcloth over the last few months, this award probably isn’t for you and your 30 extra rolls of toilet paper. However, for us regular folk who have a limited supply of TP, The Chats’ fast-paced High Risk Behavior track “Drunk N Disorderly” is the perfect song for stumbling into someone’s home and swiping a roll or two.
Wow We Didn’t See That Coming Award
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Falling In Reverse - “The Drug In Me Is Reimagined”
Ronnie Radke has never been afraid to push boundaries musically. Whether it’s rapping on a track or dropping an upbeat, synth-laced single like “Bad Girls Club,” the former Escape The Fate frontman always seems to have something new up his sleeve. This year, to help celebrate 2011′s The Drug In Me Is You becoming gold-certified, Radke and Co. released an epic piano-lead version of their fan-favorite title track. The results? A majestic dream-like experience worth repeating over and over again.
If You Hurt Mother Earth One More Time We Swear You’re Dead Award
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In Hearts Wake - “Worldwide Suicide”
There’s been a lot of talk about global warming over the past few years. Recently, while we’ve all been stuck at home, skies have become clearer than ever as wild animals roam the barren streets. This is a dream come true for earth-friendly metalcore act In Hearts Wake.
Now as some cities start to reopen, let us remind you: If you even think about going back to your wasteful, pollution-heavy ways, we and In Hearts Wake will come for you with the same force and brutality as heard on their newest track “Worldwide Suicide.” Watch your back.
Sure It’s Different But Still Kicks Ass Award
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The Used - Heartwork
This isn’t The Used you knew in junior high. Bert McCrackin and Co. have returned with a fresh-faced 2020 LP that is sure to make you feel some type of way. Featuring guest appearances from members of Blink-182, FEVER 333 and Beartooth, The Used’s latest is a heavy-yet-dancy addition to their beloved-and-never-stale catalog.
Better Not Sleep On This Record Award
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Charmer - Ivy
Look, you literally have nothing but time on your hands. Why not spend it discovering new music from bands who deserve your attention? Seriously, turn off Love Is Blind and Too Hot To Handle and give Charmer’s moody 11-track release Ivy a try. You can thank us later.
Honorable Mention: Big Loser - Love You, Barely Living
Holy Shit We Can’t Believe That Just Happened Award
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Dance Gavin Dance - “Calentamiento Global”
Four words we’ve all been thinking since Dance Gavin Dance dropped their highly anticipated album Afterburner: Tilian can speak Spanish!?
Giving the entire Swancore community a jaw-dropping moment with their new experimental track “Calentamiento Global,” in the song, DGD’s brawny frontman shows a little latin flavor with lyrics like “Te adoro, mi reina. Eres la única que veo.” Unsurprisingly, like most Dance Gavin Dance (or should we say Baile Gavin Baile) experiments, the post-hardcore act totally nailed it.
The Back To Basics Award
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The Amity Affliction - Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them
The Amity Affliction caught a lot of flack for their experimental 2018 release Misery. While entirely unwarranted as the metalcore vets were just looking to expand their sound, for their 2020 LP Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them, the Aussie outfit returned to form with their breakdown-heavy musicianship and brooding lyricism. Still have doubts? How about you give “All My Friends Are Dead” a spin or two.
Skankin’ Pickle Award
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Skatune Network - Ska Goes Emo, Vol. 1
Here’s a fun one. Adding to the list of things we never thought we’d see in 2020, go ahead and add a ska record covering some of your emo favs like My Chemical Romance, Paramore and Blink-182. Already known for his creative covers, Skatune Network really outdid himself this time around with his Ska Goes Emo LP. Who would have guessed you could skank so well to “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)?”
The 2020 Glow-Up Award
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The Word Alive - Monomania
The Word Alive has seen a lot of change over the course of their ten-year career. From 2010′s hard-hitting album Deceiver to this year’s impressive LP Monomania, the band has really grown into who they are today. For the first time, instead of putting out the music they’re expected to release, the Arizona act really stepped out of their comfort zone and dropped the music they wanted to make resulting in one of this year’s freshest and best so far.
Chocolate Covered Cranberries Award
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Four Year Strong - Brain Games
For five long grueling years, we went without new music from easycore noisemakers Four Year Strong. This February, that all changed with the release of the band’s killer seventh studio album Brain Pain. Bringing the guitar-lead heaviness fans have come to love over the years along with their infectious pop-punk-leaning songwriting, Four Year Strong’s new record is the perfect balance of sour and sweet -- like chocolate covered cranberries! Who’s hungry?
#Vans Warped Tour#Four Year Strong#The Word Alive#Skatune Network#The Amity Affliction#Dance Gavin Dance#Charmer#The Used#In Hearts Wake#Falling In Reverse#The Chats#All Time Low#Hot Mulligan#Polaris#Anti Flag#Anti-Flag#Spanish Love Songs#Rotting Out#Jarrod Alonge#Vermicide Violence#Enter Shikari#August Burns Red#Violent Soho#Loathe#Code Orange#A Day To Remember#The Ghost Inside#Silverstein#interview
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Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch This Holiday Season
https://ift.tt/392gRNP
This year marks a unique Thanksgiving, to be sure. With the pandemic carrying on, families and loved ones across the United States are testing out new ways to celebrate a national holiday that might be best described as food, football, and then, of course, more food. For some that means outdoor gatherings are the order of the day; for others it will mean the first time you might be cutting turkey while wearing a mask.
However you might wish to celebrate the holiday though, gathering with loved ones around a movie never goes out of style. For that reason, we’ve gathered the best Thanksgiving movies to choose from. Some of these films are truly beloved holiday classics, and others might be less obviously about Thanksgiving, even as they wear their affection for the holiday on their sleeves. And yet others still will offer the rare respite: a streak of cynicism for those who think Thanksgiving is for the birds. So pass the potatoes and enjoy a helping of good cinematic cheer below.
Addams Family Values (1991)
Addams Family Values might seem an unusual choice, but then everything about this one is unusual, right down to it being the rare comedy sequel that is superior to its predecessor. That success is in no small part due to the filmmakers realizing Christina Ricci, who made her big break playing the morbid Wednesday Addams, was devastating in her deadpan delivery.
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Movies
How 1991’s The Addams Family Nearly Got Derailed
By Simon Brew
Movies
The Addams Family and Their Spooky New Jersey Origins
By Aaron Sagers
Thus Wednesday gets half the film to herself in this one, and we’re thankful for it. With Addams Family Values, she’s forced to endure the dreariness of summer camp and its middle class morality, right down to them holding a Thanksgiving pageant in July. Surrounded by smiling rich white kids who cast Wednesday as Pocahontas (who, it should be said, was not in New England or at the first Thanksgiving), Wednesday takes the opportunity to keep it real about Thanksgiving.
“My people will have pain and degradation,” Wednesday hisses in her last minute rewrite. “Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my tribe have spoken. They say do not trust the Pilgrims, especially Sarah Miller. And for all these reasons I’ve decided to scalp you.”
The chaos that ensues is delightful. Happy Thanksgiving, folks!
Alice’s Restaurant
Alice’s Restaurant is an inadvertent Thanksgiving comedy directed by Arthur Penn, who re-envisioned Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as counterculture antiheroes in his 1967 gangster classic, Bonnie and Clyde. Penn did the same with Arlo Guthrie, the son of folk hero Woody Guthrie, the committed anti-fascist who wrote “This Land is Our Land.” The film is based on Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 folk song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” which was about Alice and a restaurant. The restaurant wasn’t called “Alice’s Restaurant.”
That’s just the name of the song, which is very talky, like the movie, which is also pretty violent and fairly drug-fueled. The film doesn’t start on Thanksgiving, but at an army recruitment center, where Arlo, playing himself, is trying to avoid the draft. Turns out he’s got no good reason to stay out of the war.
The Thanksgiving setting, however, gives the film its purpose, and main reason to be thankful. The main plot involves getting rid of some trash after a holiday dinner. Arlo and his friends load a couple months’ worth of garbage into their red VW microbus, along with “shovels, and rakes, and other implements of destruction,” and head to the city dump, which is closed for Thanksgiving. They’d never heard of a dump closed on Thanksgiving before, so with tears their eyes, they drive off to find another place to put the garbage.
It takes Arlo 18 minutes and 21 seconds to tell the plot in the song, in intermittent three-part harmony, but the gist is: he gets arrested for littering, and his criminal record keeps him out of the draft. With it, Penn turns Guthrie into one of the most mild-mannered antiheroes in counterculture cinema. He’s not moral enough to join the army, burn women, kids, houses, and villages because he’s a litterbug.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Perhaps not quite as iconic as the legendary A Charlie Brown Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, the third Peanuts holiday special (and 10th Peanuts animated special overall) is still just as charming, wholesome, and satisfying as its predecessors. Once again written by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and directed by Bill Melendez, the show has been a November staple on TV for decades since first airing in 1973.
This time out, Charlie Brown (voiced by Todd Barbee) and his sister Sally (Hilary Momberger) are getting ready to go to their grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving when one by one, all their friends invite themselves over to his house—despite the fact that Charlie Brown can only make “cold cereal and maybe toast.” It all gets sorted out in the end, and it’s all the little jokes, the delightful voices, and the unforgettable music by Vince Guaraldi that makes this a perennial favorite.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
There isn’t so much as a mention of Thanksgiving in Wes Anderson’s stop motion masterpiece. Yet, somehow, it’s impossible to watch The Fantastic Mr. Fox and not have late autumn brought to mind. Is it the carefully chosen fall color palette that’s all sunsets and foliage? Is it the warm familial vibe of the Foxes and their neighbors that makes you miss big get-togethers? Is it the impeccably dressed cast of animal characters, all resplendent in corduroy, flannel, and tweed, quietly shaming you with their perfect sartorial choices? Or perhaps it’s simply their ravenous eating habits that puts you in the right frame of mind.
With little resemblance to the Roald Dahl book it’s based on, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is instead one of the most perfect encapsulations of Anderson’s eye for (some might say obsession with) the little details. And it’s those little details, even more than its fuzzy animal characters, that make this perhaps the coziest of the director’s efforts. Alternately exuberant and melancholy (just like the holiday itself), and with numerous scenes of beautifully plated gluttonous excess, it’s remarkable that this movie hasn’t already been adopted as an unofficial icon of the season. Let’s start that campaign right here, shall we?
Hannah and Her Sisters
The movie that won Michael Caine and Dianne Wiest Oscars, Hannah and Her Sisters is a story about family framed between two Thanksgivings and the year that connects them. With a meticulous insight about the highs and anxieties of upper-middle class life among Manhattan intellectuals, the film is really the travails of Hannah (Mia Farrow) and her sisters Holly (Dianne Wiest) and Lee (Barbara Hershey). There’s also the lust of Hannah’s husband Elliot (Caine), who pursues an affair with Lee, but the film is mostly told from the vantage of three women of varying ages struggling with how they see themselves and their lives in a year of New York living.
Writer-director Woody Allen is here too as a hanger-on in this family, who’s struggling with his own fears of death, but his and Elliot’s roles are ultimately as outside observers who arrive every Thanksgiving to watch the sisters and their parents renew their family ties… and close ranks.
Home for the Holidays
One that feels particularly timely as 2020 adults hole up in their childhood homes for Thanksgiving and beyond, director Jodie Foster’s underrated family gathering comedy wallows in the downsides of going home. The film stars Holly Hunter as a woman who’s lost her job and is growing apart from her teenage daughter (Claire Danes). But all of that pales in comparison to spending Thanksgiving with her parents (Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning), plus younger brother Robert Downey Jr.
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TV
The Best Thanksgiving TV Episodes
By Alec Bojalad
Movies
The Long History of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Thanksgiving
By Gavin Jasper
It’s a familiar setup, but Thanksgiving is a time of being with those you’re familiar with, whether you like it or not. Plus, as a comedy it also has the still vital message of counting your blessings.
The Ice Storm
Based on Rick Moody’s acclaimed 1994 novel, director Ang Lee’s (Brokeback Mountain) masterful adaptation is a scathing portrait of upper middle class suburban life in the early 1970s, when all the experimentation in the world with drugs, alcohol, and sex couldn’t quite stop anyone from feeling like their lives and society were unmoored.
Like other dramas that take place around Thanksgiving, there’s very little to actually be thankful for: the characters (played with flair by Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, and others) are all trapped in emotional black holes of their own making.
Similarly, all the decadence and crazy fashions/trends of that surreal decade can’t replace the feeling that something has gone dreadfully wrong. Lee–before he became obsessed with the latest camera technology–charts this all with patience, empathy, and precision.
Knives Out
Okay, so Rian Johnson’s brilliant little whodunit isn’t actually set on Thanksgiving, but it sure feels like it is and was released around the holiday on Nov. 27, 2019 (God, that feels like a century ago). So… close enough. And while the family gathering at the center of the story is for a patriarch’s birthday, it certainly resembles the kind of large family assembly many hold at Thanksgiving, right down to feeling like it could end in murder.
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The murder in question, of course, is that of mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), and it’s up to gentleman detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to figure out which of his many bickering, backbiting, scheming descendants might have had a hand in it. Perhaps Harlan’s nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) can help since the clan insists “she’s like part of the family.”
All that’s really missing is the turkey. The knives are out, in abundance.
The Last Waltz
Perhaps no title card in cinematic history deserves to be heeded more than the one which opens The Last Waltz: “This film should be played loud.”
Not just the greatest concert film ever made. Not only the greatest rock documentary of all time. The Last Waltz may lay claim to being the only movie of any stature literally filmed on Thanksgiving. Martin Scorsese shot The Band’s farewell concert on Thanksgiving Day, 1976, where the audience of 5,000 was served a literal Thanksgiving dinner in addition to an unforgettable night of music by some of the most legendary performers of the 20th century.
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But this is no mere concert film. Being treated to a document of such legendary musicians at the height of their powers would make this important enough, but when it’s shot, lit, and edited by Scorsese, and with The Band joined by towering guest stars like Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many more, The Last Waltz becomes one of the most powerful musical statements ever committed to film. Scorsese breaks up the performances with members of The Band reflecting on their career, and even in these quieter moments, The Last Waltz radiates the power and danger of a life lived on the road, in seedy dives, and storied ballrooms.
When you’ve had your fill of football and family for the night, pour yourself a glass of something good and do exactly as that opening title card says.
Miracle on 34th Street
Yes, yes, technically speaking Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas movie. But it is definitely worth noting that the film actually spends more screen time on the actual Thanksgiving holiday than Christmas Day. Indeed, the picture opens with the now legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the ultimate stroke of product placement, Macy’s New York City shindig got nationwide attention on the big screen, even as the movie focuses on the department store hiring the wrong Santa Claus for its festivities.
Arriving drunk and disgraceful to Macy’s preparations, an inebriated mall Santa creates an opportunity for a man who calls himself Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) to step in. Kris is passing through, presumably doing some holiday shopping ahead of his own big day in December. But upon seeing his personage so besmirched, he demands to take Santa’s reins and in the process saves Thanksgiving. We also see how this affects the turkey time of the film’s central mother and daughter team, played by Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood.
Mistress America
Sometimes Thanksgiving can be quiet and intimate… and desperately needed. That’s the case of the end to Noah Baumbach’s effervescent Mistress America. A mostly successful attempt at emulating 1930s screwball comedy for literary millennials, Mistress America is a clever throwback set during autumn in New York City and, tellingly, a trip to the suburbs of Connecticut. But by movie’s end, protagonists Tracy (Lola Kirke) and Brooke (Greta Gerwig) find themselves alone and isolated in the big city on Thanksgiving. They also thus discover an excuse to reconcile after grievances drove them apart, breaking bread at a restaurant down the street. It’s downbeat, but emotionally cathartic for both the characters and film.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
As the late John Hughes’ masterpiece, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the quintessential “get home in time for the holiday” tale. Steve Martin is Neal, a stressed-out marketing exec who picks up an accidental travel companion in Del (John Candy), a well-meaning but oafish shower curtain ring salesman. As the two struggle to get back to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving amidst a string of misadventures and transportation issues, an eventual friendship forms, leading to a moving conclusion.
Planes was a step forward for Hughes as he began to move away from teen comedies, and the movie’s balance of humor and heart was perfectly complemented by the dynamic comedic chemistry of Martin and Candy. The latter probably had his best role ever in Del Griffith, and it’s a tribute to both actors and Hughes that each lead character can be annoying yet is never unlikable.
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Hilarious and poignant, this mix of buddy picture and road movie is a near-perfect treat for the season—or any time.
Prisoners
We wouldn’t exactly call Prisoners ideal holiday viewing. It’s set at Thanksgiving and immediately afterwards, although there isn’t much cheer during most of the film’s harrowing 153 minutes. The movie opens with a Thanksgiving dinner involving two Pennsylvania families, a pleasant ritual that soon turns nightmarish when two little girls—one from each clan—go missing. From that point onward, the story becomes a downward psychological spiral in which the search for the girls takes a terrible toll on all caught in its wake.
The first Hollywood studio film directed by French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (who has since gifted us with films like Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and next year’s Dune), Prisoners is a brutal, emotionally complex thriller that maintains a high level of suspense and dread over its formidable running time.
Featuring excellent performances from Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, and others, it may not be the kind of cheery escapism we often seek out at the holidays. But it will leave you deeply thankful for the good things in your own life.
Rocky and Rocky II
“To you it’s Thanksgiving, to me it’s Thursday,” Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) tells Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) as they hit the streets for their first date in Rocky. That date wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the tougher than tough love of Adrian’s brother Paulie (Burt Young). He gave them no alternative but to go out when he tossed the Thanksgiving turkey his sister slaved over all day out the side door. What followed was one of the best first date scenes in film.
It doesn’t seem like Rocky and Adrian have a lot to be thankful for. She says her daddy told her to develop her brains because she’d never get by on her looks. Rocky says he’s so dumb he couldn’t hope to be anything else but a fighter, which is halfway to being a bum.
While the scenes surrounding the ice skating rink date aren’t only some of the most romantic sequences captured on celluloid, they culminate in one of hottest. This is all before Rocky is even approached to fight the heavyweight champ of the world. The battered underdog Rocky stays on his feet until the final bell, and an almost equally bashed Apollo Creed, who barely held onto his title belt, swears he never wants a rematch.
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Apollo takes that rematch when he defends his title in Rocky II. The fight is set for Thanksgiving Day, and Rocky knocks the stuffing out of that turkey, and laps up the gravy. Many of the Rocky movies, including Creed, opened on Thanksgiving weekends, and are perfect “date movies.” The main bouts may focus on two fighters, but the love stories, starting with the one between Rocky and Adrian, are tenderer than the bird Paulie tossed in the alley.
Spider-Man
The original Spider-Man really is a superhero movie for all seasons. With its romantic and old-fashioned photography of New York City in the spring and autumn, the picture runs the calendar’s gamut in its storytelling of the webslinger’s first year on the job. But it also pivots on a rather eventful Thanksgiving dinner.
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Fresh off Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) refusing to team up with the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), and after a blow up at a not-Macy’s Day Parade in Times Square, the pair’s alter-egos unwittingly meet up for Thanksgiving in Peter Parker’s apartment. It’s a swanky bachelor pad he shares with Harry Osborn (James Franco). But even with Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) there to give it some holiday warmth, things get frosty when Dafoe’s patriarchal Norman realizes the kid passing him the cranberries is his mortal enemy. Awkward.
And yes, nearly 20 years later this strangely does feel like a holiday movie, doesn’t it?
ThanksKilling
This film is terrible. An exploitative C-cheapie horror where a turkey possessed by a demon with a smart mouth hunts and murders coeds. But if that’s your jam… well, it exists.
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The post Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch This Holiday Season appeared first on Den of Geek.
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